Placed at the Scene

Matthew 26: ⁶⁹ Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.

⁷⁰ But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

⁷¹ Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

⁷² He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”

⁷³ After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”

⁷⁴ Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”

Immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

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“Weren’t you at [insert place] last night?” someone asked me. I didn’t know why they asked the question so I did not answer it directly. “Maybe, maybe not… Why?” I replied. “Nothing” they said I saw your car parked there and I knew it was you.

• Some places I would like to deny being at.
• Some places I would rather keep secret.
• Some places I would rather no one know but those involved.

Whether it was sneaking out of the girls dorm or seeing a movie I wasn’t supposed to see, my mustard yellow, dented car gave me away. Peter was also given away by being placed at the scene with JESUS. HE was probably seen serving the miracle wine at Cana near the Sea of Galilee. What if she recognized Peter as the one who walked on that same sea. He denied profusely.

• GOD wants me to not be ashamed of being associated with HIM.
• GOD wants me to carry my affiliation with HIM wherever I go.
• GOD wants me to say “I am with JESUS” even when it is difficult to say.

This was a life or death situation for Peter and quite honestly I may have done the same. I would like to think I would have said “Sure I was with JESUS, go ahead and kill me” but this is a difficult thing to say. Peter wept bitterly because he wanted to be great and found out he was like all the rest. GOD forgave Peter and HE forgives me too.

• Have you denied your relationship with GOD?
• Have you done something shameful that you are trying to hide?
• Can you stop hiding your relationship with GOD even when it seems difficult?